Mothers Protest on International Day of the Disappeared, Demanding Action from Mexican Government
Mexico City witnessed a powerful display of resilience and determination as mothers gathered to mark the International Day of the Disappeared. With the number of missing people in Mexico estimated to be as high as 111,000, these brave women demanded that the government intensify their efforts to locate their loved ones.
The majority of those who have vanished are believed to have been abducted by drug cartels or kidnappers, with their bodies often buried in shallow graves or burned. The protesters not only pleaded for answers but also voiced their concerns about what seemed to be a government attempt to downplay the severity of the issue.
Approximately 200 demonstrators, nearly all women, took to the streets of Mexico City, chanting passionately, Where are they? Where are our children? One of the marchers, Edith Perez Rodriguez, wore a poignant T-shirt adorned with photos of her two sons, Alexis and Jose Arturo Dominguez Perez, who vanished without a trace in the state of San Luis Potosi a decade ago.
The desperate situation has been exacerbated by a lack of funding and resources, leaving law enforcement and investigators unable to conduct even the most basic searches. Consequently, volunteer groups, predominantly composed of mothers, have taken it upon themselves to scour suspected body dumping grounds, armed with shovels and steel rods to detect the odor of decomposition.
Edith Perez Rodriguez asserted, If we don’t search for our children, nobody will do it. These resilient women have found themselves shouldering the burden of the desperate quest to find their missing loved ones.
Despite the overwhelming evidence and heart-wrenching pleas from the mothers, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has questioned the reliability of the figures and suggested that many of the missing individuals may have returned home without notifying the authorities. In response, the government initiated a door-to-door campaign carried out by military and unqualified personnel, deploying them to inquire whether missing relatives have reemerged and cross-referencing names with vaccination records.
However, activists argue that the significant resources allocated to this campaign could be better employed in the ongoing search for the missing or at least for their remains. Edith Perez Rodriguez questioned the effectiveness of the government’s approach, highlighting the overwhelming caseload assigned to each agent, leading to a lack of substantive investigation. That is why we are here, she asserted, to tell the president these numbers are not inflated. This is the reality, gesturing towards the numerous protesting mothers by her side.
Parallel marches unfolded in several other cities throughout Mexico, as victims’ families mounted a united front demanding justice and answers. One such mother, Irma Guerrero, continues her tireless search for her son, David, who disappeared in San Luis Potosi earlier this year. Speaking of the lack of assistance she has received, she lamented, Nothing, not from anyone.
The resignation of Mexico’s top search official, Karla Quintana, has further fueled the frustrations of the affected families. Quintana reportedly objected to the utilization of unqualified personnel tasked with interviewing victims’ families, concerned that this approach could inflict further harm on these already traumatized individuals.
While it is acknowledged that some missing individuals may have returned home unreported, there is a prevailing suspicion that a significant number of disappearances in Mexico’s most violent regions have never been officially documented. Relatives often refrain from seeking assistance either due to fears of reprisals or a lack of trust in the authorities.
Jessica Martinez Cervantes exemplifies this prevailing mistrust. She continues to search for her brother Esteban, who went missing in San Luis Potosi in July 2020. When asked about the help she has received from the government, she responded despondently, Nothing, absolutely nothing.
The situation regarding missing individuals in Mexico is dire, and urgent action is needed to address this human rights crisis. Mothers and families, united in their grief and tenacity, demand justice, answers, and most importantly, the safe return of their loved ones. As Mexico grapples with this ongoing tragedy, it is imperative that the government responds with genuine commitment and resources to bring solace to these mothers and their missing children.
